their Churches Let them vnroll the Succession of their Bisshopps Finallie it is without contradiction by the witnesse of Scriptures Doctors and Historyes a most vndoubted way to know at al times vvho be Heretikes and who be Catholikes and therefore of such as wil not desperatly cast them-selues into Hell deeply and earnestly to be considered Apostolike Church VPON this poynt of Succession is inferred another very vvorthie consideration that whereas not only we in the holy Masse but also the Heretikes in theyr communion professe both to beleeue Vnam Sanctam Catholicam Apostolicam Ecclesiam One Holy Catholike and Apostolike Church according to the Crede of the first Constantinopolitan Councel it is our Church that is Apostolike bycause it agreeth in the faith with the Church of Rome in which is the See of an Apostle holding on to this day by Succession and to which was written an Epistle by an Apostle What caÌ„ they here deny doth not our Church the Catholikes I meane of England agree in faith with the Romain Church It is both confessed by the Heretykes who for that cause do call vs Papists and knowen to all men bysides Doth not the Bishop of that Church succeede an Apostle in his See S. Peter was an Apostle and Prince of the Apostles and the first Bishop of Rome which is as euident in it selfe and as certainely may be proued by vndoubted witnesse and as sensibly is sene vvith our very eies as that there hath bene so long and is at this present such a citie in the world named Rome Had not the Church an Epistle writteÌ„ to it by an Apostle S. Paules Epistle to the Romains is extant Are not these the causes why a Church is called Apostolike Heare Tertulâ—ians definition De Pres Haeret. Age tam qui voles â—uâ—iâ—sitatem melius exercere in negotio salutis tuae peâ—â—urre Ecclisias Apostolicas apud quas ipsae adâ—uc Cathedrae Apostolorum suis lâ—cis praesidentur â—pud quas ipsae authenticae literae corum recitantur sonantes vocem repraesentantes facieÌ„ well now thou that wouldest vse yet more curiosiâ—ie in the matter of thy saluation runne ouer the Apostolike Churches at whom the very Chairs of Apostles are yet in their places sitten in at whom the very authentical letters of them are recited sounding their voice representing their face Examples there hee putteth of the Churches of the Corinthians of the Philippians of the Ephesians and specially of the Romains saying of the same Videamus quid dixerit quid docuerit CuÌ„ Aphricanis quoque Ecclesiis contestatur Let vs consider what it the Romain Church hath said what it hath taught Mary with our Aphrican Churches also it holdeth Which he there declareth in al points by the Heretikes of that time denied by himselfe with other Catholikes of that countrie beleeued Wheâ—eupon he will haue it to follow that their African Churches are Apostolike although not so as the Romaine Church other like yet in another right good sense bâ—cause they agree with those Apostolikes And in this hee putteth so strong an argument of the truth that hee â—gâ—ine againe prouoketh Heretikes to shew the like Edant origines Ecclesiarum suarum euoluant ordinem Episcoporum suorum ita per successiones ab initio decurrentem ut primus ille Episcopus aliquem ex Apostolis vâ—l Apostâ—â—icis viris qui tamen cum Apâ—stolis perseuerauerit habuerit authorem antecessâ—rem Hoc enim modo Ecclesiae Apostolicae census suos deferunt Sicut Smyrnaeorum Ecclesia Polycarpum ab Iohanne collocatum refert Sicut Romanorum Clementem a Petro ordinatuÌ„ id proinde vtique caeterae exhibent quos ab Apostâ—lis in EpiscopatuÌ„ constitutos Apostolici seminis traduces habeant Let the Heretikes bring sorth the origines of their Churches let them vnfold the rew of their Bishops so from the beginning running downe by successions as that first Bishoppe of theirs haue had for his author and predecessor some one of the Apostles or Apostolike men which also with the Apostles perseuered For after this manner doe the Apostolike Churches bring down their substance to our time As the Church of the Smyrnians sheweth Polycarpus placed by S. Iohn as the Church of the Romains sheweth Clement ordered by Saint Peter And so verily doe the rest also shew whom by the Apostles ordained Bishops they haue for the drawers vnto them of the seed or doctrine Apostolike So as our naturall progenitors haue deriued or passed vnto vs the naturall seede of Adam Confingant tale aliquid Haeretici Let the Heretikes faine any such thing if they can saith hee But no doubt they cannot and therefore be they not Apostolike and ours most certainely which manifestly so doth is Apostolike God graunt them therefore once in heart also to beleeue with vs that which with vs in mouth they professe to beleeue I say One Holy Catholike and Apostolike Church Neither it is the Motiue only of Tertullian Saint Augustine also in the greatest matter that can be touching the very Canon of the Scriptures sendeth vs to those Churches speciallie aboue all others Quae Apostolicas Sedes De doct Christ lib. 2. cap. 8. Epistolas accipere meruâ—runt which to haue Sees Apostolike and to receaue Epistles Apostolike found the fauour Finallie many others of the holy Fathers teach vs the same vvay vnto the Truth and no one of them all did euer disproue it In whome this is yet further to be coÌ„sidered that whereas there were in their time standing yet manie other Churches Apostolike besides the Romaine they for all that did euer principallie and singulaly direct men alwaies to the Romane so also calling it by prerogatiue the Church Apostolike or See Apostolike that by that name it was no lesse knowen from all others as all can beare me witnesse that read antiquity then I say when there were also many other Churches or Sees Apostolike than now at this time it is when we haue none other Apostolicke See remaining After which manner also we know Virgil from all Poetes by the name of Poeta and Aristotle from all other Philosophers by the name of Philosophus S. Paule from all the other Apostles by the name of Apostolus Which thing well considered of anie indifferent man may giue him easily to vnderstand that the holy Fathers of the Constantinopolitan Councell in their Creede bidding vs to belieue the Church Apostolike did not only meane the RomaÌ„ Church but also none other but the RomaÌ„ well that I leaue to the consideratioÌ„ of such as be indiffereÌ„t But that which afore I saide is certaine as it is also most worthy to be considered that the Fathers in their times hauing manie Sees Apostolike yet chieflie looked themselues and directed others to the Apostolike See of Rome And now at this time when as there is none other of that sorte remayning in the worlde but onely the Roman and yet neuer none of them all more
and straight vvaies vvithout all tergiuersation to captiuate their vnderstanding into the obedience of faith Is it not plaine by the Scriptures that the Church of GOD should be so obeyed Or is there any so blessed a Church and felowship saue only ours Any other Church so credited so beleued so reuerenced so obeyed of her children that whatsoeuer she teacheth is receaued and followed whom none of her children be his witt neuer so great or his learning so excellent euer controlleth or euer mistrusteth and that most agreably I say to the holy Scriptures in ten thousand places as where they say Ephes 5. that Ecclesia subiecta est Christo in omnibus the Church is obedient to Christ in all thinges Who therefore saith vnto it Qui vos audit me audit qui vos spernit Luc. 10. me spernit he that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me Mat. 18. Si Ecclesiam non audierit sit tibisicut Ethnicus Publicanus If he wil not here the Church auoid him as thou wouldest an Ethnick and a Publican Thus is the Church of God to be obeyed and thus do we obey our Church and none of their Church but we For our Church it is and our Church onlie which hath by the spirit of wisedome discretion so sorted and seuered from the corps of truth al blemishes corruptions vncertaine or singular opinions or seueral errors in her childrens and Maisters workes whatsoeuer that both the truth may be had with ease and securitie and the vntruth escaped vvithout doubt or daunger Ours therefore and ours only it is that hath in it the path that the Prophet Esaie forespeaketh and promiseth should be in the Church of Christ Isai 35. Et erit ibi semita vita via sancta vocabitur Non transibit per eam pollutus haec erit vobis directa via ita vt stulti non errent per eam And there shal be in it a path and a way an holy way it shal be called the defiled shall not passe by it but this to you shal be a direct way so that fooles cannot misse if they folow it But now on the contrary side in any company of these seueral sectes and scatered congregations are they so humble as to submit themselues for dicision of their questions to any power placed in earth or haue they any possible meanes to trie and end their controuersies any sort or number of men amongest them whom they may trust in al things which whom and in whose steppes they dare venture to walke the way of faith and Religion towardes saluation None there is amōgst al the Sects in the world so happy none so secure and therefore no Church amongest them For in the plat forme of the Church drawen by the Apostles wee see that when a question arose about Circumcision of vs that be Gentiles straight was there found a remedie Statuerunt Act. 15. vt ascenderent Paulus Barnabas quidam alij ex aliis ad Apostolos Presbyteros in Hierusalē super hac quaestione They determined that there shold goe vp Paule and Barnabas and some others of the other side to the Apostles and Priestes in Hierusalem vppon this question Vpon this matter hath S. Augustine written an excellent Booke which hee intituled De vtilitate credendi Tom. 6. of tht vtilitie of beleeuing the Catholike Church in all thinges and whith all humilitie which booke I vvish and desire all that can to reade it Very fitte it is for this time and alone sufficient to perswade any reasonable man to be a Catholike For were it not for beleuing the Catholike Church and taking of it our light and knowledge a smal number God wotteth of truthes should wee in our whole life be able to finde out although we liued the yeares of Mathusalem and in most thinges should we fouly erre and be deceaued and of nothing almost be fully resolued And therefore being so many so obscure so controuersed the things whereof vpon payne of damnation vve may not doubt but must hold them certaynely euen to the losse of frinds Countrie liberty goodes landes and life vvhat hope were leafte for vs poore wretches of any saluation So desperate is the state of Heretykes their followers that no doubt for lacke of being grounded vpon the sure Rocke of the Churches Faith they would as sone be caried away from the faith of the B. Trinitie if the wind should chaunce to blow that way as were in old time the Arrians and others and now in Polonia the Protestant Trinitaries as they haue beene from the other Articles vnto the which wee labour and pray to see them once reuoked Protestants themselues take things vpon our Churches credit AND that wee doe well so as I haue saied to beleue our Catholike Romaine Church and also that all other should doe the same you shall yet againe perceaue by this if you consider what Church it is vpon vvhose credit the very Protestantes themselues haue receaued the Diuine Scriptures and besides them certaine confessions of Faith called Creeds the Creede of the Apostles the Creed of Athanasius the Creed of the Fathers also diuers Articles of Doctrine as the holy Ghost to proceed from both the Father and the Sonne that but as from one principium origin or beginning c. also many artificiall tearmes as Person Trinity Consubstātiality Sacraments c. into the very hart of Religion which neither they did would or could haue inuented nor we neuer haue vsed but only vpon infallible credit of this Church Con. Epis Mā ca. 5. For whereas S. Augustine saied Ego vero Euangelio non crederem nisi me Catholicae Ecclesiae cōmoueret authoritas I for my part should not haue beleued the Gospel but the Catholik churches authority moued me Catholicis obtemperaui dicentibus Credite Euangelio to the Catholikes it was that I obeyed saying beleue ye the gospel Euāgelio Catholicis praedicantibus credidi I beleeued the Gospell vpon the Catholikes preaching Catholicis praecipientibus Euangelio credidi at the Catholikes commaundment I beleued the Gospell was it the Protestantes Church thinke you that in al these wordes he meant Or can you hold your laughter when you heare the question asked No no the Church at whose commaundement he beleued the Gospel at the same Churches cōmaundment he beleued as he declareth in his booke De Doct. Christ Li. 2. ca. 8. the bookes of Tobie of Iudith of Canticles of Wisdome of Iesus Sirach called Ecclesiasticus of the Machabees in the olde Testament and in the new Testament S. Paules Epistle to the Hebrues the Epistle of Saint Iames the second of S. Peter the second and third of Saint Iohn the Epistle of S. Iude the Apocalips of S. Iohn Al which holy bookes of Canonical Scripture the Protestantes either in their whole multitude or in some of their Captains whō they defend follow and commend as men of
that there he saith All Heretikes would haue themselues to be called Catholiks which also at this day you see the Protestants doe desire For why are they also desirous of this name but only because that they which indeed haue the name are also indeed euermore true Catholikes and so the name alone sufficient to moue any man to be of that side As likewise all Heretikes desiring to haue it seeme that there maketh for them Scriptures Miracles Fathers Martyrs and such like of which I will speake more hereafter doe euidentlie therby declare that company for whom in deed such thinges doe make to haue with them both truth and saluation Againe in another place the same holy Doctor saith De ver rel c. 7. Tenenda est nobis Christiana religio eius Ecclesiae communicatio quae Catholica est Catholica nominatur non soluÌ„ a suis sed etiaÌ„ ab omnibus inimicis Velint enim nolintue ipsi quoque Haeretici Schismatum alumni quaÌ„do non cum suis sed cum extraneis loquuntur Catholicam nihil aliud quam Catholicam vocant Non enim possunt intelligi nisi hoc eam nomine discernant quo ab vniuerso orbe nuncupatur Wee must hold the Christian religion and the companie of that Church which Catholike is and Catholike is named not only of her own but also of al her enimies For will they nill they the Heretikes also and Schismatikes when not with their owne but with straungers they talke they call the Catholike nothing but the Catholike for they cannot els be vnderstanded vnlesse by that name they discerne her by which of the whole world shee is called This therefore is proued they to be the Catholikes that Catholikes are called Will they now denie that we be called Catholikes The world doth beare vs witnesse For besides the foresaide note of the Cities of Germanie I aske them when as in bookes written now a dayes wee be named Catholikes euerie-where whether that the reader knoweth not straight waies who by that name are meaned In this very booke speak I not plainly enough wheÌ„ I so call our selues Or thinketh any man by that name that I am some Lutheran Protestant or Puritan Why els doe they mocke at the very name of Catholikes and not at vs only nicknaming it Cacolikes Cartholiks Or why els did Luther Luther in Germanie cause the Creed to be turned I beleeue the Christian Church not I beleeue the Catholike Church What els meant Iewell Iewell to entitle his Replie to D. Harding A Replie against the Roman Religion which of late hath bin accounted Cathoâ—ike Finally any indifferent man may see will acknowledge as much to be confessed in the new Legend set out of late by LaureÌ„ce Humphrey HuÌ„phrey the Puritan Iewell a new saint of Pope HuÌ„phries own making How erâ—d he â—o whose History HuÌ„phrey him-â—elfe here vnawares coÌ„firmeth For Catholikess saith hee were present as lookers on earnest defeÌ„ders What then but none such were moderators saue only lay lords vnlearned Heretikes Ergo. although not greatly liked I dare say of his fellow-Puritans for the canonization and please you of Saint Iewell Where hee saieth thus Errauit qui Pontaco suggessit Londini solum praesedisse laicos neque doctos neque Catholicos Hee erred vvhich infourmed Pontacus that at London in the pretensed Disputations at Westminster were moderators only lay men neyther learned nor Catholike An. 1. Eliz. Aderant non solum homines Catholicissimi id est Papisticissimi qui spectatum venerant sed alij eiusdem Catholicissimi acerrimi propugnatores c. Present there were not onely men most Catholike that is to say most Papisticall who came to looke on but other most earnest defenders of the same Catholikedome And againe Primam causam primaeriam fere solam omnium malorum contentionum deformationuÌ„ quasi Equum Troianum intra Ecclesiae muros nobis omnibus insidiantem fuisse hactenus esse hodie Catholicam a Scriptura sancta defectionem praecipue vestrum PapismuÌ„ The first cause and formost and only in a maner of all euils contentions deformations as it were the Troian horse which within the Churches wals lieth in wait for vs all hath beene hither-vnto and is at this day Catholike reuolting from the holie Scripture and specially your Popedome Where what hee meaneth by Catholike reuolting who seeth not Although to helpe his cause he would seeme to distinguish from it the Popedome as he tearmeth it contrary to his own interpretation afore but in deede to his meruailous disaduantage whiles that in the same his distinction whether we be Catholikes or no hee chargeth the Catholikes with reuolting as well as vs whosoeuer they be True it is that in the same place aforegoing hee tearmeth vs Pseudocatholicos falsenamed Catholikes But euen so haue I with myne owne eares heard him which manie moe also may remember in the Diuinitie Schole at Oxford in his fond vnlearned Readings tearme S. Augustine also himselfe and his felowes being not ashamed in his controlling of our worshipping of Saintes to allege this as good authoritie that Faustus the Manichee Heretik for the same did say in his time Pseudocatholicis to the false catholikes Apud Aug. eo Faus li. ca. 4. Idola vertistis in Martyres The Idols you haue turned into Martirs These Pseudocatholici who they were Saint Augustines wordes declare Li. 20. ca. 21. Hinc nobis caluÌ„niatur Faustus quod Martyrum memorias honoramus in hoc dicens nos idola conuertisse With this doth Faustus entwite vs because wee honour the Martyrs memories saying that into this we haue turned the Idols Neither can Humphrey or any other prooue that eyther now or then or euer were or shal be in the world any Pseudocatholici at al any Isay commonly named Catholikes but only true Catholikes Wherefore in calling vs Pseudocatholicos hee graunteth vâ—to be true Catholikes such as were also those Pseudocatholici in Faustus time So theÌ„ both these haue I inuinciblie proued that the generally named Catholikes be Catholikes and that wee be so named catholikes and for that name mocked at by our Aduersaries vvhereof it foloweth that we be catholikes and therefore that we haue the truth A most certaine demonstration which no Aduersarie of ours can with any reason gainsay and sufficient by it selfe alone to satisfie any man that will be satisfied But yet of aboundance will I shew the other waies Name of Heretikes SECONDLY whosoeuer are of them vvhich professe Christ commonlie called Heretikes and plainly knowen by that name they vndoubtedlie are Heretikes and so euer haue in the end proued Or let them giue me out of all Antiquity so much as one example to the contrarie Certaine it is that they can not but for it are all the examples that euer were As the Arrians in theyr time were commonly called Heretikes which we see euery where in the workes of the holy
sancta qua deletum est chirographum quod erat contrarium nobis the holy hoast or sacrifice whereby was striken out of the bill of our hand which was against vs. Ad cuius pretij nostri Sacramentum ligauit animam suam vinculo fidei To the Sacrament of that our raÌ„some she tied her soule with the band of faith worshipping so that blessed Sacrament with Religion and making of it God him selfe For as S. Augustine sayeth in an other place Dever re ca. vlt. et 1. Ret. 13. vvee must tie our soules to God alone and thereof Religion ys thought in latine to be named Deo vni religantes animas nostras vnde Religio dicta creditur And therefore this blessed woman in her life-time serued or worshipped the Altar without omission of any one day cui nullius diei praetermissione seruierat And at her death taâ—tummodo memoriam sui ad Altare tuum fieri desiderauit she desired nothing of her frindes touching her burial but only that she might be remembred at thy Altar CoÌ„fe l. 9. ca. 12. Which also was done Offertur pro ea sacrificium pretij nostri For her was offered the Sacrifice of our ransome saith Saint Augustine and that at her burial Li. 9. ca. 14. but againe when hee wrote his Confessions see what hee saith Inspire O Lord vnto al Priestes that shall chaunce to reade this booke of myne Vt meminerint ad altare tuum Monicae famulae tuae cum Patritio quondam eius coniuge that they remeÌ„ber at thy altar Monica thy seruaÌ„t with Patrike once her housband by whose flesh thou broughtst me into this life Were these folke ProrestaÌ„ts trow you Consider moreouer what doctrine and which of our two sides is commended by the most certaine Visyons that Saint Gregorie writeth him-selfe being a partie in one of them two that I will recite Dial l. 4. ca. 55. in his monasterie a Monke named Iustus at his death told his naturall brother Copiosus a secular man where he should finde and take three Crounes which he had hid against hys Rule forbidding all proprietie that al should liue in common Which Saint Gregory hearing of inuented a most wise deuise whereby both Iustus might be and was in deed brought to repent him of his sinne and the other MONKES vvarned neuer them-selues to doe the like It was that only his brother should be with him at his departure none of the moÌ„ks come at hym and that after his death they should burie hym in a dounghil and hys monie with him crying all together Pecunia tua tecum sit in perditione Act. 3. thy monie be with thee in perdition Thirty dayes after considering the long grieuous paynes of the soule in purgatorie I called saith S. Gregorie vnto me Preciosus the Prior of my Monasterie sayd vnto him Go and from this day offer for him sacrifice 30. dayes together c. But we being busie about other things and not counting the dayes the same our brother that was departed on a night appeared to his brother Copiosus in a Vision who seing him asked how do you brother how is it with you Hee answered vntill now I haue bin yl but euen now presentlie I am well For this daie I am absolued from my excommunication Communionem recepi Which thing the same Copiosus came by and by told our brethren in the Monasterie They then exactly counted the dayes and behold it was the very same daie that the thirtith oblation for him had binne fulfilled And so Copiosus not knowing what the brothers had done for him and the brothers againe not knowing what Copiosus had seene of him by this that at one selfe tyme he knoweth what they had done and they againe know what he had sene Concordante simul visione Sacrificio res aperte claruit by the agreing together of the Vision of the Sacrifice the matter prooued cleare plaine that our brother departed by the Sauing Hoast was escaped his punishment After this immediatly hee telleth an other Vision Cap. 56. which that wee may not mistrust the wordes of the dead confirmeth them by the deedes of the liuing Cassius saith he a man of godly life Bishop of Narnes who vsed to offer vnto God dayly Sacrifice and at the Canon of the Masse Inter ipsa sacrificiorum arcana Sacrificed him-selfe in teares receaued on a time our Lords Commaundement by the Vision of a certaine Priest or Chaplaine of his saying Doe as thou doest worke as thou workest let not cease thy foote let not cease thy hand Natali Apostolorum venies ad me retribuaÌ„ tibi mercedem tuam vpon Saint Peter and Saint Paules day thou shalt come to me and I will pay thee thy wages Qui post annos septem ipso natalitio Apostolorum die cum Missarum solennia peregisset Mysteria sacrae communionis accepisset e corpore exiuit Who seauen yeares after vpon the very day of Saint Peter and S. Paul when hee had done Masse after the manner had receaued the misteries of the Sacred coÌ„munion went out of his body For what Religion make I praie you these Visions Whose doctrine doing do they confirme Or were these men that I haue named some simple soules that could not discerne betweene true Visions and false illusions Or can any but God alone tell thinges afore hand so as here the conuersion of Saint Augustine was fore-tolde so as here the death of Cassius and the very day thereof was likewise fore-told the one nine yeares the other seauen yeares afore they chaunced And therefore as in the last Chapter I vvilled Miracles to be considered and not iugglinges or thinges that may be done by reason so here I propose not illusions but Visions to be considered And by them I say so certainely maie the Truth be tried how sure it is that GOD him-selfe neyther doth nor can deceaue vs. Which anie reasonable man maie vvell enough perceaue by this also that as Miracles so Visions likewise be all with vs alone not one at all that the Protestants can for them aleadge For if they were not sure arguments vndoubted who seeth not that vnto vs both they would be common Therefore being all for vs and none for them it is easie for anie man to see thereby that wil not be blind that truth is on our side not on their side Whosoeuer therefore after this plaine vvarning by so manie argumentes all most certaine euery one alone sufficient sticketh yet still to them and returneth not to vs he plainely declareth himselfe to care no more yea nothing so much to saue his poore soule from euerlasting damnation as he would doe to saue his dog from hanging The Vision of Iudas Machabeus vvhich the canonicall Scripture it selfe recordeth 2. Mac. 15. and calleth fide dignum somniuÌ„ a dreame worthy to be beleeued wherin hee saw Saint Ieremie the Prophet praying for the people maketh
will they nil they a false point this is and to be found as I haue saied in none but Heretikes And therefore they doe well to be good to their companions in the case of S. Iames Epistle Saint Lukes Gospel and others moe bycause they are plainly vnder the same iudgement themselues specially for the bookes of the Machabees We on the other side most obediently receaue and beleeue all Scriptures Canonicall Whereby to any reasonable man yt may be manifest which in it selfe is most certaine that of the same there is no part to our doctrine repugnant but all without exception to vs agreing all against heretikes vndoubtedly and that in some partes so openly that they haue no other shift but by denying Traditions most certaine THE true Church alwayes hath together vvith the whole Scripture beleeued and embraced Traditions and vvhatsoeuer companie there euer vvas vvhich was faine to crie for onlie Scriptures and to denie most certayne Traditions of the Apostles theyr doctrine for whose defence they were fayne so to doe vvas euer Heresie and they most surely Heretikes and for such at length holden by all Christendom what so euer deceaued followers for a vvhyle they had For this cause saith Saint Paul to the Church of the Corinthians Laudo autem vos fratres 1 Cor. 11. quod per omnia mei memores estis sicut tradidi vobis praecepta mea tenetis I commend you brethren that in all things you remember me and euen as I deliuered vnto you you keepe my Traditions Tas paradoseis And to the Church of the Thessalonians Itaque fratres 2. Thes 3. state tenete Traditiones quas didicistis siue per sermonem siue per Epistolam nostram Therefore be constant brethern hold fast the Traditions which you haue byn taught either by our word or by our Epistle And for the same cause saith Saint Basile Dogmata De Spiritu san ca. 27. quae in Ecclesia praedicantur quaedam habemus e doctrina scripto tradita quaedam rursus ex Apostolorum traditione in mysterio id est in occulto tradita recepimus quorum vtraque parem vim habent ad pietatem Nec his quisquam contradicet quisquis sane vel tenuiter experous est quae sunt iura Ecclesiastica The matters of doctrine and preaching vvhich in the Church are kepte some of them vvee haue by teachyng committed to wryting some againe we haue receaued by the Apostles tradition in mysterie that is to saie in secret delyuered vnto vs both which are of like weight touching Gods seruice Neyther will anie man gaine-say these whosoeuer surely hath any sight in the Churches orders And that Saint Basile herein is not singular it is manifest by thys besides much els that might be sayed that the vvhole Church Aug haer 84. Epiph. haer 78. and the Protestantes also them-selues holde for Heretykes the Heluidians for the denying the Apostolicall Tradition of our Blessed Ladies Euer-more remayning a Virgin to say nothing of many other lykevvise condemned Heretikes for the like denying of Traditions So then hath the Church bysides Scripture certayne Traditions and them alwaies in great estimation But Heretikes contrariwise haue had the custome to make exceptiō against Tradition allowing nothing but only Scrypture Thereupon saied Maximinus a Bishopp of the Arrians to Saint Augustine Con. Max. li. 1. Si quid de diuinis Scripturis protuleris quod commune est cum omnibus necesse est vt audiamus Hae vero voces quae extra Scripturam sunt nullo casu a nobis suscipiūtur c. If thou bring any thing out of the Diuine Scriptures vvhich is common with all we must needes heare it But these wordes which are without Scripture in no case are of vs receaued And to the same effect did Constantius the Arrian Emperour gyue out an Edict Epiph. hae 72. Hila li. con Const Vt Episcopi nihil praeter diuinas Scripturas Ecclesiasticae fidei adderēt That Bishops should besides the diuine Scriptures put nothing to the Churches faith Many other Heretikes might here be brought forth vvith the lyke sayings but that my purpose is here rather to set short Conclusions plainly directing the meeke and humble into the truth and mightily cōfounding the stubborne enimy than with heaps of exāples to make great Volumes Now then that these Traditions be with vs and against the Protestants although it be manyfest ynough by this that we obediently embrace Traditions and they vnfaithfully refuse them and also otherwise vvell knowen to most men neither of themselues denied yet to satisfie all men it may for examples sake be remembred that S. Chrysostome saieth Ho 69. ad populum Antiochenum Ab Apostolis haec sancita fuerunt vt in tremendis Mysterijs defunctorum agatur commemoratio c. It hath byn by the Apostles decreed that at the dreadful Misteries so he calleth the holy Canon of the Masse there should be made a commemoratiō of the dead c. And that Saint Ierome calleth it Munus quod necessitate offertur Ep. 54. an oblation which we are bound to offer vnam quadragesimā secundum Traditionem Apostolorum toto anno ieiunare to fast one fourtie dayes in the yeare according to the Apostles Tradition And that Saint Ciprian saieth it is Dominica Traditio Li. 2. ep 3 our Lords Tradition that in offering the Chalice the wine be mingled Epi. 118. cap. 6. And that Saint Augustine saith of Saint Paul Totum illum agendi ordinem quem vniuersum per orberi seruat Ecclesia ab ipso ordinatum esse c. That by him was ordayned this order of doyng vvhich through the whole world the Church doth keepe in doing of Masse with sundrie other Traditions which I omitte plainly witnessed by antiquitie to haue come from the Apostles and in our Church to this daie vsed and of the Heretikes quite reiected A plaine Argument that ours is the Church that foloweth the steppes of Christ and his Apostles and theirs to be the heire of the Arrians and other damned Heretikes a lymne and Messenger of that lost sonne Antichrist The Churches Commaundement ALwaies since Christes Ascension who-soeuer haue at any tyme resisted the common knovven Visible Church graunting that in the beginning it was to be seene and to be obeied for that is so plaine in the Holy Scripture it selfe of the Acts of the Apostles that they cannot denie it but that afterward it became inuisible and fell from Christ and therefore no longer to be obeied who soeuer I say haue thus done and spoken they were euer Schismatikes and Heretikes and in the end forsaken of all Christian men one and other how soeuer for a time they deceaued the world Let our aduersaries bring forth if they can one example to the contrarie sure it is that they can not And therefore they are themselues such as I haue sayd Schismatikes and Heretikes and for such no doubt at length will generally
be taken notwithstand-the heards of beastly followers that now they haue That such is their talke of the Church vvho knovveth not vvho is ignorant hovv they labour to shevv hovv long endured the Visible Church by the Apostles gathered and vvhen it fayled some of thē setting the age of it at two hundred some at three hundred some at fiue hundred yeares and Iewell more large then his fellowes at six hundred yeares And therefore by the Church that then was they will say they be tried and not by that which was afterward for a thousand yeares together vntill the rising of Luther and which yet holdeth on still against Luther and his Adherents By this Church in no case vvyll they be tryed bycause it is not they saie the same vvhich vvas before in the begynning and vvhich lasted onlie a certayne tearme of yeares and vvhich now is restored agayne by Luther This very same was of old the talke of the Donatistes whose maner was as S. Augustine writeth to gather ignorantly or deceitfully certaine places out of the Scriptures De vnit Ec. Cap 12. ea detorquere in Ecclesiam Dei vt tanquam defecisse ac perijsse de toto orbe videatur and them to wreast against the Church of God to make it seeme that she had as it were failed In ps 102 con 2. and out of the vniuersall world perished And in another place they say Apostatauit perijt Ecclesia de omnibus Gentibus the Church hath played the Apostata and is perished out of all Nations Hoc dicunt qui in illa non sunt saith Saint Augustine This say they vvhich are not in the Church O impudentem vocem c. Vocem abominabilem detestabilem praesumptionis falsitatis plenam nulla veritate suffultam c. O impudent saying c. A saying abominable and detestable full of presūption and falsehood staied vpon no truth c. Such was the saying of those Heretikes than therefore such is the same saying of these our Heretikes now They Heretikes then for it therefore these Heretikes now for it On the contrary syde therefore as the Church was not fayled then before Donatus rose so was it not fayled now before Luther rose And therefore as Saint Augustine and the rest that then withstood those Heretikes were of the Church so we that now vvithstand these Heretikes be likewise of the Church and they against the Church And therefore vnto euery one that will heare Christs voice must they be sicut Ethnicus Publicanus Mat. 18. as Ethnikes Publicans no credit to be giuen vnto them no cōpanie to be kept with them It was also the familiar saying as Saint Hierome witnesseth Adu Lucif of the Luciferians Factum esse de Ecclesia lupanar that the Church was become a stewes VVhich was as reasonably sayed of them by Saint Hieromes iudgement as if one would say Christum sine causa mortuum fuisse that Christ dyed in vaine Sundrie other Heretikes myght be here brought forth vvith the like blasphemous saying as in deede yt must needes of all Heretikes so be sayd who if they should say well of the Church should euer speake against them-selues And therefore we maruaile the lesse at the feare they haue to name the Church Castaleon therevpon in steed of Dic Ecclesiae Mat. 18. Tell the Church translating vnto vs dicito Reipublicae tell the common wealth others in theyr common talke for the Church hauing in theyr mouths the Congregation as in our countrie it is common VVe meruaile not at thys theyr feare I say For Gods Church is most certainly alwaies that which commonly in the world is knowē by the name of the Church as they alwaies most certainly be Heretikes vvho are commonly called Heretikes And so euermore is the aduise of S. Hierome to be followed of them that wil be saued Ibidem In illa est Ecclesia permanendum saith he quae ab Apostolis fundata vsque ad diem hanc durat In that Church must vvee keepe our-selues vvhich once being founded of the Apostles endureth euen to this daie For certayne it is by the Holie Scripture that as Christ fayleth not hym-selfe so neyther hys Church euer fayleth Psal 2. being his Inheritance of God hys Father giuen once vnto hym and hee neuer deseruing againe to leese it Vpon these two Christ I say and his Church Read S. August de vni ec runneth all the Scriptures of the olde Testament either by Promises or by Figures or by Prophecies and plainer vpon the Church then vpon Christ As worthylie hath Saint Augustine noted Puto proterea quia videbantin spiritu In Psal 30. contra Ecclesiam homines facturos esse particulas de Christo non tātam litem habituros de Ecclesia magnas contentiones exitaturos ideo illud vnde maiores lites futurae erāt planius praedictum apertius prophetatum est vt ad iudicium illis valeat qui viderunt fora◠fugerunt I thinke for this cause saieth he bycause they the Prophetes savv in spirit that against the Church men would make partes and of Christ they would not haue so much strife but of the Church they woluld raise great contentions Plainer Prophecies for the Church then for Christ therefore that whereupon greater debates would be was more plainlie forespoken and more openly prophicied that it might serue to their damnation that saw and yet ranne out And this may he easily perceaue that wil begin at Genesis Gen. 22. where God saying to Abraham In semine tuo benedicentur omnes Gentes In thy seede shal be blessed al Nations in the Seede vvee haue Christ in the Blessing of all Nations wee haue the Church and so go on to the end of that part Then the Scryptures of the nevv Testament specially that be historicall what be they els but certayne recordes of the fulfilling of the sayde former Promyses Figures and Prophecies touching Christ the Gospels touching the Church the Actes of the Apostles And all this so plainly that as the Ievves not seeing of Christ therein so the Heretikes not seing of the Church in the same can not possibly be to any thing els imputed but only to wilful blindnes for damnable lacke of lightsome fayth And therefore as the Iew to haue hys blindnes taken away must turne to our faith Cum autem cōuersus fuerit ad Dominum 2. Cor. ◠auferetur velamen so must the Heretike likewise turne him to the Catholike faith then shall hee see vndoubtedly as plaine Scriptures for the Church as the faithfull Iew shall see for Christ and plainer to as before Saint Augustine vvitnessed Such as we that be Catholikes doe see for both in euery leafe almost so manie so mighty so euident that we perceaue the Iew and Heretike to see no more then a man that seeth not the Sunne at noonedaies Psal 88. nor the Moone in the ful VVell
life in his defiance are the worst sort of damned soules in Hel. But contrariwise let all Catholike men that suffer reioice in Christ be of good coÌ„fort being assured that they are persecuted for the right faith as by this Tretise they see for the very same that was the faith of all holy Martyrs before this time And therefore to them pertayneth no lesse then to the Thessalonians thys saying of Saint Paule You brethren 1. Thes 2. are made imitators of Gods Churches that are in Iurie bycause the same things you haue also suffered of your own countrimâ—n as also they of the Iewes To them belongeth this saying also to the PHILIPPIANS Phil. 1. Be ye for nothing afeard of your aduersaries Which to them is cause of perdition but to you of Saluation that of God Faith and suffering both Gods giftes bycause vnto you it is giuen for Christ not only to beleeue in him but also to suffer for him hauing the same fight as both you haue seene in me and now you heare of me Finally the same fight that al Christs martyrs haue susteyned God by hys wonderful myracles wel declaring that they which pray vnto the Martyrs and the Martyrs that we pray vnto be all of one faith verily not the Protestants faith as themselus must needs and wil confesse but our only Catholike Faith Their Own Doctors HERE after so many so euident so vndoubted waies afore declared to finde the TRVTH by the Names of Catholikes and Heretikes by Miracles and Visions by the Scriptures by Traditions by the Church by the See Apostolike by Councels by the Auncient Fathers and Martyrs which all I haue brieflie but to any indifferent man sufficiently and clearelie shewed to make for vs most certainly to stand all in open field against our aduersaries novv for the next Motiue I would haue it considered by anie man that is not wilfull that the Protestantes and Puritans are out of the way euen by the iudgement also of their own adherents such as themselues doe in word and hart like well of as men of God and therefore consequently condemne them selues Which if I shall proue inuincibly against them will any man be so folish mad and desperat to walke theyr vvay a way I say contrary to so many good guides aboue rehearsed condemned by their owne Masters by themselues in hart misliked First then let their Graundsier Luther come forth and say his minde of these his whealpes who in theyr Apologie call him a man Diuinitus datum ad illustrandum orbem Apol. Eccl. Anglic. giuen by God to lighteÌ„ the world He falling first himselfe from the Church of God about the yeare 1517. seeing shortly after in the yere 1524. his owne Disciple Carolostadius fall againe from him to be the author of the Heresie against our Sauiours reall presence in the Blessed Sacrament who afterward of Zuinglius were called Zuinglians and now of Caluine be named Caluinists after that he had many yeares together written much and full bitterly against the sayed Heretikes of his owne descent many meanes also of agrâ—â—ment making betwene them being attâ—â—pted but al in vaine and to no puoposâ—â— theyr discord daily more more increasing two yeares before his death in the yeare 1545. gaue he them his blessing wherein amongest other vvordes thus he sayed Quicunque credere nolunt Libel in ZuingliaÌ„ panem Domini in caena illius esse verum ac naturale corpus quod Iudas impius non minus percipiat ore quam Diuus percipiat Petrus Sancti omnes hâ—c inquam quisquis credere noÌ„ vult is a me abstineat Epistolis scriptis vel sermone neque vllam meam expectet communionem Oleum enim operamque perdiderit Who soeuer will not beleeue the Lords bread in the Supper to be his true and naturall body which Iudas and the wicked receaueth with hys mouth no lesse then Saint Peter receaueth it and all that be holy this I say whosoeuer wil not beleeue let him refraine from me for Epistls for writing or for talking neither let him loke for any communicating of me with him And a little after he sayeth further Suermeris nihil contulerit quod circa SacrameÌ„tum pius unum illi nugantur de spirituali esu potati te Corporis Sanguinis Christi de Chrisâ—â— orum charitate atque vnitate Et frustra quâ—que illi in Deum Patrem Filium Spiritum sanctuÌ„ Christum Seruatorem credunt Omnia inquaÌ„ haec nihil illis prosunt quaÌ„tumuis sane incuipate ea mendaci ac blasphemo ore pronunciant quando hunc vnum negant articulum eumque falsi in simulant dum de Sacramento Christus ait accipite panem manducate hoc est corpus meum It shall nothing helpe the Suermerians that about the Sacrament they trifle very much vpon the spirituall eating and drinckyng of Christes body and blood and vppon Christian mens charity and vnity Yea they also in vaine beleue in God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost and in Christ the Sauiour Al these thinges I say nothing auaile them how soundlie soe euer and vnblamedly they pronounce them with their lying and blasphemous mouth seeing that they denie this one Article He corrupteth the Scripture to help his Heresie of the bread to be Christs bodie and lay falshood to hys charge whereas Christ sayeth of the Sacrament take bread and eate thys is my body Thus you see what this man of God this light of the world maketh of our English Caluinistes Lyers Blasphemers voyde of his felowshipp men without our Sauiour Christ and the Blessed Trinitie Haue they not trow you in so praising Luther shewed men a candle to see by it their owne fowle faces and a light wherby to runne out of their coÌ„pany Let them loke wel therefore what excuse they will pretend at the last day to the Iudge of al that remaine stil with them that flie not from them For another example of their condeÌ„nation by their own folowers read who list the Compilers of the Centuries named Magdeburgenses Magdeburgenses in their Epistle dedicatorie of the seuenth Centurie There shall he see a long discourse against this that the Ciuell Magistrate should haue the Gouernment as well in causes Ecclesiastical as temporal Which is the very foundatioÌ„ of all our Protestants building in England and the only key of their whole Religion After many other wordes thus they say Sint sane ipsi Magistratus meÌ„bra partes ciues Ecclesiae Dei imo vt ex toto corde sint omnes precari decet Flagrent ipsi quoque zelo pietatis Sed non sint Capita Ecclesiae quia ipsis non competit iste Primatus The very Magistrates also let them hardly be lymmes and partes and Citizens of the Church of God mary that with all their hart they so may be it is meet for all to pray Let them also be
inflamed with zeale of godlines but let them not be heades of the Church because vnto them is not due this Primacie If now against these Magdeburgians our Protestantes vvill make exception that they are Lutherans they must be put in minde of their owne wordes in their Apologie Apol. Ecc. Anglic. Illi say they quos isti contumeliae causa appellant Zuinglianos Lutheranos re ver a sunt utrique Christiani inter se amici ac fratres Non de principijs aut fundamentis religionis non de Deo non de Christo non de sancto Spiritu non de ratione iustificationis non de aeterna vita tantum de vna nec ea ita graui aut magna quaestione inter se dissentiunt nec desperamus vel potius non dubitamus breui fore concordiam They whome in reproch these men the Catholikes doe call Zuinglians and Lutherans are in very deed both christian men friendes together and brethren They doe not disagree about the principles grounds of religion not about God not about Christ not about the Holy Ghost not about the manner of Iustification not about life euerlasting This prophecy is now fulfilled in the accord of the Protestantes Puritans but onely about one and it no weightie nor great question Neither doe wee despaire or rather we doubt not but there will shortly be agreement By that one small trifling question they meane no lesse a matter then the Blessed Sacrament of the weight wherof and hope to be agreed about it you haue heard what Luther not long before his death did write As also to this daie the cōtinual fighting with pen sword of the Lutherans and Zuinglians about the same doth beare plaine record But to our matter of the Head Ecclesiastical if that be not a Principle or ground of Religion why was it so obtruded to the Prince as though neyther God nor Christ nor the holy Ghost nor Iustification nor life euerlasting nor at al religiō could stand without it Why hath it bin so straightly exacted of men and that with oath to be professed vpon paine of perpetuall imprisonment forfaiting of lands and goods and losse of life Being then so weightie a matter such a Principle ground of Religion it is denied notwithstanding condemned you see by such as themselues confesse to be christians to be their friends to be their brethren And will not men yet looke to themselues Psal 4. open their eyes see the truth Filij hominum vsquequo graui corde vt quid diligitis vanitatem quaeritis mendacium O ye children of men how long will you be so heauie harted why be yee in loue with vanitie and sticke to that which will deceaue you At least wise if Gransier Luther and the Lutherans be no body with them yet their Sire himselfe of whome they are immediatly descended Caluine I trust shall beare with them some more authoritie For so I pray God that with themselues his witnesse may doe good euen with the farthest gone of them all our greatest enimies desiring nothing more then their Conuersion and saluation But if that may not be 2. Thes 1. because that non omnium est fides they be not of the nūber which must beleue yet may it please God of his mercy to open others eyes and harts to see take the truth others I say that are not so obstinate that haue a good will for to be saued Such I trust when they shall see that with most certaine danger yea losse of their soules they beleeue the Protestants euen by Caluins owne iudgement and sentence they will be better aduised either for the loue of God or feare of Hell This then is the saying of Caluin forced thereunto by the very text of Scripture as in the Prophet may be seene Qui initio tantopere extulerunt Henricum Regem Angliae Cal. in Amos 7. certe fuerunt inconsiderati homines dederunt illi summā rerum omnium petestatem hoc me semper grauiter vulnerauit Erant enim blasphemi cum vocarent ipsum sum mum Caput Ecclesiae sub Christo. Hoc certe fuit nimium Sed tamen sepultum hoc maneat quia peccarunt inconsiderato zelo c. They that in the beginning did so much extoll Henry king of England certainely they were vnwary men they gaue him power ouer all And this hath alwaies wounded me full sore For they were blasphemous mē to cal him chiefe head of the Church vnder Christ this certainely was too much But yet let this abide buried because they sinned by vnwarie zeale c. In his words following he laieth more freely at the Kings Commissioners sent by him after his Schisme to the Diet of Ratispone for their talke that there they had vppon the ground of the King his Headship Now what would Caluin say thinke you of our Protestantes since that time in England for taking vp againe the Corps carrying it all about the Realme to be adored and that vvith solemne oath vpon paine also aforesaid How would hee trounce them for theyr Blasphemie Are not Princes trow you well serued by such flatterers haue they not good Pastors of them worthy preachers to cōmit vnto them their soules saluation that carry thē into such brakes of perdition and damnation and vvith them the whole people by the very witnesse of their owne confederates I am not ignorant that going about in Parliament to giue the Queene this Title hauing obiected by Catholikes vnto them this place of Caluin to saue them-selues from his blow which they were ashamed of although they feared neyther it nor God nor man they deuised to call her not Head but Supreme Gouernour in all causes Ecclesiasticall But sone after being againe charged by Catholikes that that was much more absurd as by which she might take vnto her the verie administration of Sacraments and what soeuer els that is in the gouernement of any Priest or Bishop then were they faine in an Iniunction to interprete that that was neuer her meaning but onely to haue such authoritie in Ecclesiasticall causes as the king her father had before her and so compelled for a mollification of their new inuented Title to runne backe againe to that very same frō which afore they fled for feare of Caluin Let any man now that thinketh to be saued aduise wel with himselfe whether he doe discreetly to receaue into the groundes of his saluation with oath to be confessed such sandie Articles so vnsure for footing and to take for the sure builders of his soule such light headed vnsure and ignorant Masters God giue his grace to all estates both high low Vt resipiscant a Diaboli laqueis 2. Tim. 2. to rid themselues by repentance from the snares of the Diuell that all this while hath held them captiues And so for this Motiue these few examples may suffice manie more of like sort shal be brought
if need be As on the contrarie side for their owne confession of the truth of our Religion not onely in some part as in the two points afore touched of the Sacrament and Supremacie but also in the very whole well nere much may be alleaged out of their writings One place for this time may serue that out of Luthers booke against the Anabaptistes written many yeares after his fall where thus he saith An. 1528. we confesse that vnder the Pope-dome are manie good Christian thinges yea all good Christian thinges and that from thence we had them We confesse pardie that in the Popedome is the true holie Scripture true Baptisme true Sacrament of the Aultar true keyes to remit sinnes true office of preaching true Catechisme as the Lordes prayer and tenne Commaundements and Articles of the Faith c. I say moreouer that vnder the Popedome is true Christianitie yea the true kernell of Christianitie The Catholike Faith in England mightilie planted and lightly chaunged IN this place before I goe anie further to bring more light vnto our matter according to the example of S. Paules question to the Galathians changing their first religion from the faith of Christ to the law of Moyses Qui tribuit vobis Spiritum Gal. 3. operatur virtutes in vobis ex operibus legis an ex auditu fidei God giuing the Holy Ghost vnto you and working Miracles amongest you did hee it by workes of the Law or by preaching of the faith as if wee would say now by preachers of Protestancy or as they call it of Papâ—strie according to this example of S. Paule I say let it be first remembred what Religion that was in which was planted in our Countrey at our first conuersion vnto Christ by our Apostle Saint Augustine the Holie Monke that Saint Gregorie sent vnto vs about a thousand yeares agoe at which tyme wee English-men were first made Christians being before alwayes as other Paynims and Heathens without hope or knowledge of Christ and saluatyon giuen wholly to the seruing of Idols And to be short this matter may be soone knowen out of the Ecclesiasticall History of our owne Countryman Saint Bede a man of great holynes and learning of great credit fame throughout the vniuersall Church of God both in his life and euer since his death who lyued shortly after the time of our first Conuersion and vvrote the Historie of it in 5. bookes a worke very worthy S. Bedes Storie very expedient very profitable and verie necessarie to be read of all English-men that desyre to haue vnderstanding of things belonging much to their saluation There shall you finde it so plainlie that the Religion then brougt in vvas this very same that now the Protestants haue thrust out that no man either can or as I remember doth denie it For example in the first Booke Cap. 25. they came in with Crosse Image of Christ with ProcessioÌ„ cap. 26. in Dover they vsed to say Masse with many other points of our ReligioÌ„ that may there be found Goe on then consider how the said Monke our Apostle with his fellovves perswaded our Nation to that Religion In the first boke Cap. 26 you shall find that the King was brought to beleue to be baptized by their working of many Miracles and namely in the second Boke cap. 2. how that hee chalenged the stubborne Britons who being Christians yet dissented from the rest of the Church in peculiar practise of some certayne pointes of Religion to trie the truth betwene them by restoring a blind man to his sight in such maner as Elias vpon sure confidence in God chalenged the false prophets of Baal The Britons could not doe it 3. Reg. 28. but Saint Augustine did perfourme it as hee wrought also very many mo such wonderfull Miracles In somuch that S. Gregorie in an Epistle that hee sent him which is to be seene Lib. 1. ca. 31. thought good to admonish him of humilitie knowing that S. Paul him-selfe had neede to haue giuen vnto him an Angel of Satan to boxe and buffet him 2. Cor. 12. least that in the greatnes of hys VisioÌ„s he might haue chaunced to take pride Likewise that he had the gift of Prophecie and thereby foretold the destruction of those Britons which euen so came afterward to passe you shal find in the second Boke second Chapter Al this now wel considered whereas the Protestants for that they see this maÌ„ of God to haue byn so euidently on our side speake much horrible Blasphemie of him not fearing God at al who so coÌ„mended him for his true seruant let vs thinke that wee here him say vnto vs in hys ovvne commendation compelled thereunto by these our corrupters and his dispraysers as Saint Paul in the like case and vpon the like necessitie said of himselfe vnto his Corinthians 1. Cor. 9. Si alijs noÌ„ sum Apostolus tamen vobis sum Nam signaculum Apostolatus mei vos estis in Domino If vnto other people I be not an Apostle yet vnto you I am For the seale of my Apostleship you are put as it were to my letters Patentes by our Lorde through whose power I conuerted you to the faith of Christ 2. Cor. 12. And againe Nihil sum signa tamen Apostolatus mei facta sunt super vos in omni patientia in signis prodigijs virtutibus Nothing am I in deed yet the signs of an Apostle were wrought by me among you in all patience in Miracles and wonders deedes of power What wil we answere to this his saying or what can we answere Can wee denie his argument but it is Saint Paules It proued well Saint Paul to haue binne an Apostle whether those false masters of the Corinthians would or no. It proueth therefore Saint Augustine likwise to haue byn an Apostle a man sent of God vnto vs vvhether our false Preachers will or no vvhereunto no doubt they shal neuer be able to answere Let vs then againe consider vvhat causes or reasons haue carried vs awaie from his true Gospell into the false gospel of these men what Miracles what Visions what Scriptures what Catholikes what Traditions what Councels vvhat Bishopps of the See Apostolike vvhat other such thinges as afore I haue shevved to make for hys Gospell If none of all these thinges lead vs into this new Gospell but against them all we went into it say then what els did the deed An odious matter it is to rip all vpp in particular and wise men know all well only in generall doe I appeale to all mens consciences whether anie thing els first lead and now keepeth our vnhappie Countrie in thys false Gospell but only the world the flesh and the Diuell And therefore may our Apostle Saint Augustine say well vnto vs as Saint Paul the Aposte said to his Galathians Gal. 2. Miror quod sic tam cito transferimini ab eo
quite rotted out the contrary But the rule of Truth cannot be false Omne regnum diuisum contra se Mat. 12. desolabitur omnis ciuitas vel domus diuisa contra se non stabit Euery kingdome diuided against it selfe as they be into Protestantes and Puritans and as all other great Heresies euer haue beene to theyr owne destruction shall come to desolation and euery Citty or house diuided against it selfe shall not stand And so by this consideration you may perceaue the truth of Luthers proude Prophecie in his Booke against King Henry Luther a falâ—e prophet Certui sum dogmata mea habere me de coelo dogmata mea stabunt Papa cadet Deus viderit vter primo fessus defecerit Papa an Lutherus Sure I am that I haue my Doctrines from heauen My Doctrines shal stand and the Pope shall fall Let God see whether wil first be wearie and faile the Pope or Luther Yea God and the world seeth that thou art comen already almost to nothing euerie vvhere in maner forsaken of thine owne Disciples by Zuinglius Caluin and others wel-neare consumed the See Apostolike in the meane while more and more continually increasing in honour and glorie And therefore may our countrie men if they list of God him-selfe take plaine warning of thee and those others that in our countrie would be accounted thine adherents Thus said God first of all The Prophet Deut. 18. which corrupted with pride will take vpon him to speake in my name such thinges as I haue not commanded him to say or in the name also of other Gods he shall be put to death And then further Moyses saith If thou answere within thy minde and say But how may I vnderstand the word that our Lord hath not spoken This signe shalt thou haue looke what the same false Prophet hath foretold in our lords name and if it come not to passe that thing our Lord hath not spoken But through the swelling pride of his owne hart the false Prophet fained it therefore thou shalt not feare or folow him How to make plaine demonstration that the Heretikes haue no euidence and that we haue all TO conclude at last and to breake off all other the like considerations vvhich might yet be manie more proponed and shall be hereafter if God will and necessitie so require yet one thing more heere in the end would I haue by a Catholike man proponed to his friend that is an Heretike to be considered Whereas it is most strongly prooued by all this which I haue here said also euident in it self to any man of wisdome that is not quite forsaken of God that there maketh most plainely for vs and against the Heretikes all that euer vvas or can be of any christian man required Holy Scriptures Approued Traditions See Apostolike Generall Councelles Auncient Fathers Ecclesiasticall Histories Christian Lawes Diuine Miracles Heauenly Visions Gods Church the very names of Catholikes of Heretikes of Protestantes theyr Going out theyr Comming of them selues vvithout sending Our Vnitie Vniuersalitie Antiquitie Succession Euerlasting theyr reuiuing of old condemned Heresies finally al Monuments all substance all accidents of Christianitie all this being most certaine most plaine most euident and yet the Heretikes still in all pulpits crying the Gospell the Word of the Lord the touchstone of Gods book I vvould haue all men here to knowe theyr impudency for to consider vvell with them-selues vwhat should be the true cause of that theyr shamelesse and deceitfull crie First plaine it is that all these former euidences make for vs and so must the Heretike that you will deale withall be made in the beginning to coÌ„fesse which they doe all confesse many waies indirectly as in that they vse not the same euidences themselues in their declarations againe in that they admit no euidence but only Scripture c. In these theyr sayings and doings they confesse indirectly and in generall termes that al those euidences make for vs. But you must make your friend confesse as much directly and particularly Or els let him say eypresly to euery one of them whether he will be coÌ„tent to be tried by theÌ„ as by the motiue of old condemned heresies himselfe I meane to be an Heretike if you proue him an Aerian for denying prayer for the soules departed If he be content then ioyne with him vpoÌ„ that issue Againe whether he wil be coÌ„tent to be tried by approued traditions by Miracles by Councels by Fathers vvith the rest And if hee consent then ioyne vvith him in like sort vppon that point through all and each of them in manner as this Treatise hath shevved you the vvaie Whereby you shall still be sure to haue the victorie as I vvill vvith Gods helpe more copiously declare hereafter if any of them doe ioyne vvith me vpon them And that they know themselues full well fleeing therefore euermore from them all to their vveake and false Castle of onelie Scripture But you muste still labour to gette them and if you can vvith their consent out of that Castle into the plaine fieldes aforesaide to make them graunt expreslie that there in your handes they can not stand Verie hard it is for you I know to bring anie proude obstinate Heretike to that humilitie to confesse so much although hee thinke it yet is it good vppon sure confidence of Gods mighty help so to assay the worst of them all if peraduenture God vvill saue him or any other that by that meanes shall vnderstand theyr cowardlines and naughtines of their cause But specyally this vvay shall serue you to doe good vpon men more Humble more tractable more reasonable content to learne the truth and to saue theyr soules Such a one shal you sone by the grace of God and your owne deuout prayer perswade to come forth vnto you vpon those Playnes afore sayed and there to proue to see and to confesse theyr falling and our preuailing Which when he hath so done he will neuer I warant you returne to his former castell trusting there to speede any better so euidently shall hee perceaue those playnes into the which with his coÌ„sent you called hym out to be the most certaine places where the truth of christian Religion is to be tryed and to be found But yet for the farther confyrmatyon of our Catholyke truth and of hym therein you may then aftervvard will hym to retire hym to the sayed castle of the Scrypture And then to shevv hym that there hee can no better vvith-stande our assaulte bidde him consider vvhether the holy Scripture be agaynst these foresaid euidences yea whether it doe not beare them al plaine witnesse as in the seueral places I haue partly shewed Agayne therefore to consider whether Holy Scripture be in any thing contrary to it selfe And yet once againe whether that if Scripture with Protestants were good euidence we allege not for vs Scriptures most plainly most mightily most abundantly For
example is not this Scripture manifest enough Mat. 26. Hoc est corpus meum c. Hic est sanguu meus c. This is my bodie c. This is my bloud c. Is not this Scrypture also most manifest Ex operibus iustificatur homo Iac. 2. non ex fide tantum By workes a man is iustified and not by faith only Is not this againe playne ynough Iac. 5. Infirmatur quis in vobis Inducat Presbyteros Ecclesiae orent super eum vngentes eum oleo in nomine Domini If any amongst you be daungerously sicke let hym send for the Priestes of the Church and they to pray ouer him aneling him with the oyle in the name of our Lord c. This Scripture againe is it not most manifest Salubris est cogitatio 2. Mac. 12. pro defunctis exorare vt a peccatis soluantur It is a good meaning to pray for the soules departed that they may be deliuered from their sinnes These likewise could they be plainer Multum orat pro populo vniuersa sancta ciuitate 2. Mac. 15. Ieremias Propheta Dei Ieremie Gods Prophet dead long afore prayeth much for the people and the whole holy Citie Gen. 48. Deus qui pascit me ab adolescentia mea vsque in presentē diem Angelus qui eruit me de cunctis malis benedicat pueris istis saith Iacob the Patriarch of Iosephs two children God who hath fead me from my youth euē to this day The Angel who hath deliuered me out of all aduersities blesse these childrē as if one now would say God and our Lady blesse them Finally in the learned bookes of Catholikes of this tyme any man may see infinite manifest Scriptures for vs alleged and all that the Heretykes do alege most clearely answered as most certaine it is that no Scripture from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Apocalipps maketh for them no Scripture against vs but all for vs and very many of them so euidently that the Heretikes haue no way to answere them but by plucking if they could the pen of the Holy Ghost out of his hand that wrote them For either are they proued inuincibly to be of the Holy Ghostes endighting or no Scripture at all is proued to be such as you may remember the common saying of S. Augustine Con. ep fūd ca. 5. Ego Euangelio nō crederem nisi me Ecclesiae Catholicae commoueret authoritas I should not beleeue the very Gospell it selfe vnlesse the Catholike Churches authoritie did compell me Seing then that al this is so I appeale me so may any Catholike man boldly with me to the iudgement of any indifferent man and to the wisedome of any that hath intelligence whether it be not certayne that the Protestantes prating somuch of scripture proceedeth not of this that it beareth them at al any recorde but of that thing only which Saint Peter hath sufficiently warned vs of if at least wise we wil take any warning and not wilfully impugne the truth and destroy our own soules His warning is this In the Epistles of our brother Paul 2. Pet. 3. Sunt quaedam difficilia intellectu quae indocti instabiles deprauant sicut caeteras Scripturas ad suam ipsorum perditionem There are certaine things hard to be vnderstod which the vnlearned and vnstable doe depraue wrest as they do also the other Scriptures to their very own perdition So then the true cause why these men be so busie in wreasting and writhing both of S. Pauls most learned and most Diuine Epistles who be wreasters of the Scriptures and of the other Holy Scriptures is theyr owne vnlearnednes who are become Maysters hauing neuer bene scholers ioyned togeather with their vnstablenes by which they are so lightly lewdly runne out of the Catholike Churches Vnity Vniuersality to the Schisme and peece of Luther and from thence againe to the peece of his peece broken off by Caluine and from Caluine againe to the singularity of English Protestants and yet agayne from Protestāts to make another peece of Puritans neither there vndoubtedly nor no where els euer to leaue their flitting vnconstācie but only by returning to the setled vnmoueable rock whervpon both they before vvith vs and wee stil yet thorough the only grace of God doe stand vs steadfast And once there standing they shal sensibly see this to be most certaine that I say no Scripture no truth to be against the Catholykes neither any at all to be for Heretiks For that is the place where God appointed Moyses to stand and there to see all those Mysteries which in this life he reuealeth that he might afterward in heauen see his Glorie Ecce inquit est locus apud me Exo 33. stabis supra Petram c. Behold quod he there is a place with me and thou shalt stand vpon the Rocke c. And therefore doth S. Peter immedyatly after his wordes afore recyted thus inferre Vos igitur fratres praescientes custodite ne insipienetium errore traducti excidatis a propria firmitate You therefore brethren knowing this much afore hād by my warning beware that ye be not caryed away togeather with the erring and straying of foolish losels falling out away from your ovvne sure steadines For euen as any branch of a tree leesing once the sure hold that hee had in the trunke and cleauing no more vnto it must needs wither away and die foorth right and can not possibly grow on any longer so a man that falleth him off frō the deepe rooted continually standing and euer growing Tree of the Catholike Church he straight waies fadeth away vanisheth dieth in himselfe and howsoeuer sometimes he semeth to grow in goodnes or in knowledge as the braunch cut of his own tree and planted in another place it is al out of the roote all in vaine all but downward like a cow taile and as a man that runneth very fast out of his way therefore all but backward Wherefore vnto them only that kepe their standing saith S. Peter Crescite vero in gratia in cognitione Domini nostri Saluatoris Iesu Christi But keepyng your hold grow ye on in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ And so be his conclusion also our conclusion ipsi gloria nunc in diē aeternitatis To him be glory both now and vnto the day of eternity AMEN Bristow to the Reader AL persons of our Nation that with Gods grace shal chaunce to be remembred or confirmed in the Catholike faith or reduced thereunto by this Treatise vouchsafe of theyr charity to requite my Goodwill with theyr deuout prayers for my sinnes Faultes escaped in the printing In the first page line 6. for cognossimus read cognoscimus fol. 16. b. line 12. for protenus read protinus fol. 56. line vlt. in some bookes for
131. b Emperours other powers of our Religion also as their first conuersion 55. b 155. a 159. b 160. a. Englandes first faith and Apostles 80. b England hath by Parliament excluded Peter Paule and other Apostles and Christ 156. b all Christendome 158. a it ioyneth with Christs enimies against Christendome 159 a England beware Destruction 152. b. 169. b. an English woman miraculouslie cured of late by the blessed Sacrament 19. a. Excommunication 31. b. 153 b. Exorcisme and Exulflation in Baptisme 49. b. 51. b F FAith only 41. b. 101. b Fasting-dayes 44. a. 165. a The Fathers of what religion and authoritie 63. b. 66. a 157. a. Foxes Martyrs 72. b Fries preaching in India 103. a G S. GRâ—egorie of our Religion 35. b. H HEad of the Church 76. b. 157. b Heluidians 43. b Henricians 29. a Heresies reuiued by the Protestants 13. a 29. a Heretikes condemne themselues 4. a. That very name a certaine mark of very Heretikes 9 a â—hey are not Christians 12. b. They are Idolatâ—â— is 135. b. Apes 143. a. Their Seruice not to be frequented â—33 b. Nor their Sermons 138. a. Their bookes not to be read 240. a. Condemned by the See Apostolike holden for heretikes 55. b S. Ierome of our religion 44. a 56. b 47. a 53. b 57. a 107. a His Motiues Name as of Protestants c 11. a The Church alwaies lasting or Succession 47. a 94. a Holy bread 30. a Holy water 26. a Homousiâ—m 11. b Hus was not a Protestant 162. a. I IDolatrie destroyed by our religion 81. a 105. a Idols heresies 135. a Iesuites preaching in India 103. a Iewell vnwares testifieth the Romaine Religion to be Catholike 7. a When by him the Church of God died 45. b his chalenge 1. b 66. a 67. b his ignorant error about Christs Priest-hood 127. a Iewes how and what religion they impugne as the religion of Christ 21. a 159. a to their Religion immediatly succeeded ours 117. a. 124. b. Images confirmed by Miracles 29. a 81. a S. Irenees Motiues Rising after 88. a Gainsaid of them in vnity 89 a Succession of the Bishops of Rome 99. a the Churches store 125. a 127. a Iubilei annus 1575. fol. â—36 a. L LActantius Motiue vertue of the signe of the Crosse 113. a our Lady-dayes 132. a Lay-heads of the Church against the Magdeburgenses 76. b. against Caluin 78. a S. Laurence day 132. a Laurence Humphreyes Troiane horse 7. b his Pseudocatholici 8. a. his opinion of Iewels chalenge 67. b Of the Fathers 68. a Of the Saints in the Calendare 69 b his Wicklef condemned by Melanchton 162. b Lawes Ciuill and Temporall be Christian by being of our religion 153. a Lent 44. a. Luciferians aliue againe in Protestantes 46. b Luthers conscience the Catholike Church to make against him 7. a. and his side to be heretikes 10. a. how he condemneth our Protestants 74. b by him true Christianity is vnder the Popedome 80. a he was a false Prophet 170. b. M MAgdeburgenses against our Protestants 76. b Manichees 40. b the Martyrs were of our religion 69. a 107. a. 132. a. Masse made by S. Paul 44. b confirmed by Miracles in Afrike 16. a in England 17. a 81. b. in Brabant 19. a in Italy 115. a by visions 56. a said euery day 35. a 36. b said to driue away diuels 16. a for the dead 18. a 35. a 36. a 44. a effectious to redemption both of soule and body 18. b. Miracles a marke of true doctrine 15. a. and of true Doctors 27. a. Miracles for the Masse 16. a 17. a 29. a 114. a. for Images 29. a for Churches 29. a for the Reall presence 19. a 29. a for Transubstanâ—iation 29. a for Purgatory 18. a 29 a for praying to Saints 29. a. 71. a for Holy bread 30. a for the signe of the Crosse 30. a 113. a. 115. a 139. a for our Martyrs 73. a for Relikes 54. a 71. a 107. a. for necessity of Childrens baptisme 71. b for our whole Religion 29. a 80. b 81. b 103. b. S. Monica the Mother of S. Augustine her visions religion 34. a. Monkes and Monasteries 17. b 29. a 35. b 144. b Monkes the first Apostles of English men 80. b. N NAme of Catholikes 5. a 12. a of heretikes 9 a of Protestantes c. 10. a of Franciscans c. 11. a of Papists 12. b of Christians 12. b of the Church 46. b Nicolaites 10. b O OBedience of Catholikes to theyr superiours both Ecclesiasticall Temporall 120. b. 153. a S. Optatus Motiues Going out 84. b. succession 94. a the Bishops of Rome 99. b. Orders 90. b. P PApists a name of late put on vs by heretikes 11. b Parlament religion 60. a 79. a 145. a 156. b 158. a. Saint Paule of our religion 44. b 49. a 104. a He might not write Ad Anglos for the Parliament 158. b Pelagians aliue againe in Protestants 14. a. 68. a 49. b 55. b S. Peter excluded out of England by Parliament 156. b Pilgrimage 25. a 52. b 53. b 70. a 112. a 136. a Pius Quintus worketh Miracles 31. b Prayer for the dead denied by Aerius hee therefore by the whole Church holden for an Heretike 13. b 157. a. confirmed by a Miracle 17. a by a vision 36. a by scripture 40. b by the Apostles Tradition 44. a vsed alwaies 35. a. 52. b 102. a the ground of building Christian MonumeÌ„ts 146. a the Priestes that say the new seruice an admonion 136. b Prophecies for our religion 37. a 47. b 82. a 106. a 163. a Protestants driuen from their bold chalenge to the refuge of proclamations 1. b In their owne conscience they be both against the Church 46. b and alâ—o Heretikes 9. b 65. a They be Aerians 13. b 164. a Pelagians 14. a Donatists 45. b Luciferians 46. b and of many other old Heresies 101. b 161. b They be possessed of Diuels 106. b contrarie to themselues 157. b Vsurpers of other mens liuings 142. b Maligners of higher powerâ— 154. b their inconstancy 79. a 119. b 175. a their ignorance 126. a and that the cause partly of so many Atheists in England 128 a. their discord 74. a 103. a 119. a they be condem y their owne Doctors 78. a by Luther 75. a by Magdeourgenses 76. b by Caluin 78. a their seruice to be refrained 133. b 39. a they allow better of our orders then of their owne 90. b Saints dayes by them laid downe 132. a they haue shut out of England by Parliâ—ment Peter Paule c. 156. b Christ 157. a all generall Councels and all Christendome 158. a barred also S. Paul and his felowes for writing Ad Anglos 158. b they were neuer before this time 161. b their seede afore time in what ground it grew 163. b vvho now be their followers 151. b they be ashamed of their Fathers 65. a 147. b 161. b why they deny not all the Scriptures 38. a what Scriptures they deny 40 b. 124. a they doe decay and shall come to nothing 58. b 68. a 89. a 167. b 169. a. R REall presence of Christ in the Sacrament 22. a 29. a 34. b 41. b 52. a 75. a 114. a Rechabites 11. b the Religion of the Apostles of S. Paule S. Steuen the Martyrs the Fathers S. Augustine S. Cyprian S. Hierome S. Gregory saint Chrysostome saint Augustine our Apostle saint Bede saint Bernard saint Theodoret aint Monica al the saints of the first Christian Emperours of lawes ciuill and temporall Vide in initiali cuiusque litera Relikes of saints 52. b 53. b 70. a 107. a 160. a Romaine Church the Catholike Church 55. b 100. b the Apostolike Church 95. b 100. b. 55. a it lasteth for euer 95. a 167. b Romaines neuer chaunged their religioÌ„ 100. a. nor neuer shall 168. b the communion of the Bishop of Rome to be kept of all Christians 55. a 94. b 96 a. S SAcrament of the Aultar sticked by the Iewes bleedeth 22. a to be wâ—â—ped vvith religion 34. b Sacrifice of the Masse 16. a. 18. b. 29. a. 34. b. 35. a. 36. a. 117. a â—â—0 a. the Saints were of our religion 132. a. 146. a. See more in Martyrs Inuocation and interceâ—sion of Saints 29. a. 37. b. 40. b. 52. b. 70. a. 309. b. 110 b. 160. a 165. b. Scriptures denied by Hereâ—â—ks 39. b. 124. a no Scripture against the Catholikes but al for them 42. 47. a. 124. b. 163. a. 171. a. the vnderstanding of them in the Church 130. a. 175. 48. a. See Apostolike 55. a. 94. b. 96. a. Seruice of the Catholike Church to be embraced 130. a. Seruice of Heretikes to be refrained in paine of damnation 133. b. Sermons likewise 138. a. Signe of the Crosse worketh Miracles 30. a. 31. b. 113. a. 139. a. S. Steuen of our religion 70. a. Succession 47. a. 93. a. 96. a. 100. a. 157. a. 161. b. T TErtulianus Motiues Rising afterward 87. b. Succession 95. b. 96. b. 67. a. Apostolike Churches as the Romaine 96. b. S. Theodoret of our ReligioÌ„ 56. a. his Motiue Honor and vertue of the Saints and of their Relikes 122. a Traditions 42. b. Transubstantiation 29. a Trent Councel 61. a. b. Trinitaries â—23 a. 126. b. 166. a V VIgilantiuâ— aliue againe in Protestants 107. a. Visions for our religion 22. b. 36. a. 38. a. 50. b. 70 a 82. a. 139. a. and they a marke of true doctrine Doctors 32. b. Vnitie 84. b. â— 117. b. 133. b. Vniuersities of Heretiâ—es and Catholikes 127 a. 142. a. 146. a. they are no degrees that are taken in Vniuersities of Heretikes 127. a. Water mingled with Wine in the Chalice 44. b Wicklet was not a Protestant 162. a Y Yâ—â—â— of Iubilee 1575. fol. 136. a Z Zwinglians condemned by Luther 75. â— FINIS